CBI raids Bengal law minister Moloy Ghatak's residences in connection with coal scam case

In connection with the alleged coal smuggling scandal, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team conducted raids on at least five homes belonging to West Bengal law and labour minister Moloy Ghatak on Wednesday in Kolkata and Asansol.

After Moloy Ghatak ignored repeated summons to appear before the central investigation agency, a raid was conducted at his home.

Early on Sunday morning, Ghatak's two residences in Asansol and one in Chelidanga were cordoned off by several central forces deployed late at night. A six-member CBI team reached Ghatak's Asansol house on Tuesday morning. Later, they also moved to Alipore, Lake Gardens, and near Raj Bhavan.

Moloy Ghatak wasn't in his home during the raid. But according to insiders, his wife is currently inside his ancestral Asansol mansion.

Notably, Abhishek Banerjee of Trinamool Congress and Ghatak are both being monitored by the ED as part of the investigation into the coal scandal.

Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was also called to appear at ED headquarters for questioning in the matter in August. Ghatak and Abhishek's wife Rujira were both summoned at the same time. The grilling of Abhishek Banerjee took place in Salt Lake City's CGO facility.

Recall that in November 2020, the CBI opened an investigation into the multi-crore coal theft at Eastern Coalfields Ltd. mines in West Bengal's Kunustoria and Kajora districts near Asansol. Local coal entrepreneur Anup Majhi has been identified as the main suspect in the enormous fraud. The TMC youth wing leader and close aide to Abhishek Banerjee, Vinay Mishra, and his brother Vikas Mishra have also been held in the case, along with the previous Inspector in Charge of the Bankura Police Station, Ashok Kumar Mishra.

There are numerous cases pending against prominent party members of the Trinamool Congress. Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal were detained in August by the ED and the CBI in connection with the alleged smuggling of livestock and the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, respectively.